White Sauce Penne Pasta

Looking for a quick & easy pasta recipe that is sure to become a family favorite? Try our delicious White Sauce Penne Pasta with a creamy, rich, homemade white sauce that is ready for the dinner table in under 30 minutes!

For more white sauce pasta recipes be sure and try my Cream Cheese Alfredo Sauce and this Easy Garlic Parmesan Pasta. 

Easy White Sauce Penne Pasta Recipe

You are going to love this easy, simple, ready to eat in 30 minutes, pasta dinner recipe! You really can’t go wrong with pasta covered in a creamy white sauce.

This penne pasta recipe can easily be customized to include protein, veggies, and your preference of seasonings. Be sure and read below for all my tips for success when you recreate this awesome dinner idea for your own family. 

Ingredients Needed

• Penne Pasta – This is the preferred past for this penne pasta recipe. 
• Salted Butter – Pasta needs lots of flavor and salt added to it which is why the recipe calls for salted butter. If using unsalted butter then be sure and add a pinch (1/4 teaspoon) of salt in the recipe. 
• Garlic – You can use fresh garlic cloves that have been minced or pressed. Use garlic paste from a tube. Or use chopped garlic from a jar. Just measure out 1 tablespoon of whatever garlic option you choose. 
• All-Purpose Flour – This thickens the roux which is the base of the white sauce. Roux is when you mix a fat (melted butter) with a starch to thicken (like flour). 
• Vegetable Broth – You can substitute with chicken broth if wanted. 
• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Heavy Cream – No substitutes!
• Italian Seasoning
• Shredded Parmesan Cheese – I much prefer the taste of shredding parmesan cheese from a wedge. You could also buy it already shredded in the bags if wanted. 

How To Make Creamy White Sauce for Penne Pasta

Learn how to make this easy, family-approved dinner recipe with the easy steps below. Be sure and read to the bottom of the page where there is printable recipe card, and a pin it button so you can save the recipe for later. 

• Boil Penne Pasta : Cook pasta according to the package directions on the back of the box. My family  prefers softer pasta so I always cook for about 2 minutes longer than the al dente time given. If you prefer a firmer pasta with a bite to it then be sure and cook it to al dente. When the pasta is done, drain it (but do not rinse) and set it aside for later. 
• Make White Sauce : Melt the butter, over medium heat, in a saucepan. Once melted add in the garlic and cook, while stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the broth and fresh lemon juice until combined. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-10 minute or until it’s thickened. Whisk in the heavy cream and Italian seasoning. Cook until hot but not boiling. Mixture should be thick. Stir in the parmesan cheese until melted and smoothly combined. Take the pan off the heat. 
• Combine & Serve : Pour the cooked, drained penne pasta into the white sauce and stir until combined well. Serve!

White Sauce Penne Pasta FAQ’s

• How To Store Leftovers of Penne Pasta with White Sauce

  • To store leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. 
  • Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat. You may want to add some additional liquid, broth or milk, when reheating leftovers to thin out the white sauce. As the pasta sits in the fridge it will soak up all the white sauce. But as the white sauce warms up, it will thin out and coat the pasta once more. 

• Can I Use a Different Type of Pasta?

  • Yes, you can use any pasta shape you prefer in this recipe. Just be sure and cook it according to the box instructions, as various pasta shapes have different cooking times. Deepening on the size and shape of the pasta, it may soak up the white sauce more or less compared to others. 
  • Fettuccine noodles, spaghetti, ziti, rigatoni, or rotini pasta are all great pasta varieties to use. 

• Variation Ideas For This Penne Pasta Recipe

  • This recipe is an excellent base for all sorts of meal ideas. Here are a few ideas to get started, remember to taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings (if needed) depending on what you are adding to it. Have fun experimenting with different flavors and ingredients!
    • Vegetables : You could add iced carrots, onion, bell peppers, fresh spinach, or another favorite vegetable to this dish. Or try stirring in some frozen peas, corn, or frozen spinach toward the end of the cook time. If adding vegetables, you will want to make sure they are cut really small so they will cook during the time given. For best results, I suggest using a bag of frozen steam-able vegetables and microwaving them according to package instructions before you add them into them white sauce. 
    • Protein : You could easily add protein to this recipe by stirring in some cooked, diced chicken, beef, or pork. Or try using a rotisserie chicken or leftover meat from a previous dinner. 
    • Cheese : Add some additional cheese to the white sauce for extra flavor and added richness. Some options include shredded mozzarella cheese or crumbled feta. There are also lots of other specialty cheese options like romano cheese, parmesan-reggiano, or others like that. 
    • Herbs : Fresh herbs can add tons of flavor like fresh basil, parsley, or chives. You can also add a pinch of dried seasonings to the white sauce like dried thyme, dried basil, or dried oregano. 
    • Spices : You can really customize this how you prefer. I love the simple, but very flavorful, addition of Italian seasoning but other great options are a pinch of red pepper flakes for some spice, or even ground nutmeg for a slightly sweet and nutty flavor. 

• Serving Suggestions

  • You can mix the pasta right into the white sauce and serve it that way (like what is pictured). You can also serve the pasta noodles and white sauce separatly and let everyone dish up their own serving of pasta and pour the sauce over it. I also like to set out a bowl of grated parmesan cheese or Romano cheese. My kids love to garnish their pasta with “white cheese” as they call it. 
  • This white sauce is essentially Alfredo sauce so try using it, or the leftovers, in any recipe that calls for Alfredo sauce. 
  • I love serving a side salad when we have this penne pasta for dinner. I make it easy and buy a bagged salad mix from the store, usually the Caesar salad mix, and mix it up for dinner. 
  • Pasta always needs a yummy bread to soak up the sauce. Try my Cheesy Garlic Bread or these Easy Parmesan Garlic Knots. 
  • Serve my Baked Crispy Parmesan Chicken over top a serving of this white sauce penne pasta. 

Recipe Tips

Here are a few of my helpful tips so that you can have success recreating this recipe in your own kitchen ♥

• Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice : For the best flavor please only use freshly squeezed lemon juice. It is worth the extra effort. Promise. If needed to, in a pinch, bottled lemon juice can be used. 
• Parmesan Cheese : After making this recipe several times I find that the best flavor comes from freshly shredded parmesan cheese from a wedge of parmesan. But you can experiment and see which parmesan cheese you prefer as there are lots of easy options like the refrigerated grated/shredded parmesan cheeses that you will find at the grocery store. If you are not using the fresh parmesan cheese shredded from a wedge, then you will need to mix in the cheese for longer until it’s completely smooth and incorporated into the white sauce. 
• Pasta Cooking Tips : Always salt your boiling water before adding the dry pasta in. Pasta just screams for flavor and salt cause it’s so bland on its own. I use about 1-2 teaspoons of kosher salt, I never really measure so I don’t know the exact amount, so just put a good pinch in there. Also, cook the pasta to your liking like al dente (for a firmer pasta) or a softer pasta (2 minutes or more past al dente cook time). 

More Pasta Dinner Recipes Your Family Will Love

• Perfect Instant Pot Baked Ziti – An easy version of the classic ‘baked’ ziti casserole. Hundreds of 5 star reviews!
• Easy Spaghetti Sauce – A can of tomato soup makes this the best pasta sauce.
• Homemade Spaghetti Recipe – A rich, beef broth base spaghetti sauce with cooked pasta mixed right in. 
• Ravioli Bake – So easy and only a few ingredients. 
• Spaghetti Casserole – Layers of thin spaghetti noodles, cottage cheese, cheese, seasonings, and marinara sauce. 
• Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs – So easy to dump into the slow cooker thanks to the frozen meatballs and semi-homemade pasta sauce. 
• Creamy Tomato Beef Pasta – Ground beef in a cream based sauce with penne pasta noodles.